Category: 2009 Reading List

“Experience is not the best teacher. Other people’s experience is the best teacher.”

“Whatever you focus upon, increases… When you focus on things you need, you’ll find those needs increasing. If you concentrate your thoughts on what you don’t have, you will so be concentrating on other things that you had forgotten you don’t have–and feel worse! If you set your mind on loss, you are more likely to lose… But a grateful perspective Continue reading “Quotes from “The Noticer” – Andy Andrews”

I had not read Andy Andrews until my pastor, Greg DePriest shared quite confidently that if I were only going to read one book this year, it needed to be the noticer. So, I picked it up that evening and did not go to bed until the final page had been turned. A quick summary of the book is that perspective makes a world of difference. The journey Andrews takes us on to make this point is thrilling and at times captivating. The close of the book was a bit less than I had hoped for, but the ride to get there was still well worth it.

Mitch is widely known in the athletics arena for his professional capabilities as a sports writer. In this book, however, Mitch is not writing about something he has seen. He is taking us on a personal growth journey that he experienced himself. When asked to perform the eulogy for his childhhod Rabbi, who btw was still living, this backslidden jew feels the need to at least gain a little info for preparation. The years that follow are lifechanging for the Rabbi, Mitch, and a drug dealing pastor that we meet along the way. You’ll find nothing of deep significance in this book, but it is a quick read and well worth the time.

I am not one of Chan’s biggest fans, but I do respect his achievements, leadership and influence immensely. Still, this would not have been enuf for me to read his book bc I know how he thinks and it reminds me way too much of the dogmatic styles of religious thought that that I grew up with. But, when a book has as great a title and cover as this one, it is hard for my cookie grabbing hands to resist. While Chan did not let me down in that he stuck to his normal style that has no personal appeal to me, I still enjoyed the read somewhat. Continue reading “Review of “Crazy Love” – Francis Chan”